Isobel – ACA trainee

Newbury Office

About Isobel

Isobel has worked for UHY Ross Brooke for 6 years and is now a Chartered Accountant, having completed AAT and ACA.

What did you study prior to starting your role? Was this at sixth form or university?

I studied Business Studies, Sociology and Geography at sixth form which then led to me starting a Business and Management degree at university. After completing the first year at university and with the Covid pandemic starting, I decided to start my career straight away while studying towards my professional qualifications. This allowed me to gain valuable practical experience alongside my studies and (most importantly!) avoid student loan debt.

Why have you chosen a career in accountancy?

I chose a career in accountancy because it offers a combination of numbers, problem solving, working with people and helping businesses succeed. I have always enjoyed working with numbers and I am very organised so accountancy seemed a good fit! Accountancy is more than just sitting at your desk doing numbers, it’s meeting clients and helping them develop their businesses, building relationships and saving people tax (because who likes paying more tax than they need to!).

About Isobel’s job / training

What is your role and which team do you predominantly work in?

I am now based in accounts team in the Newbury office, after completing my training in the Hungerford office. I mainly prepare year end accounts, VAT returns, corporation tax returns and personal tax returns. I am also part of the SRA accounts rules audit team so often go out to our Solicitor clients to audit their client money accounts.

Is there a typical day at UHY Ross Brooke? What does it look like for you?

There is never a typical day at UHY Ross Brooke, my work greatly depends on upcoming deadlines and which piece of work the Partners need most urgently. I could be out visiting clients, on calls, on site at a solicitors audit, there is never a typical day!

What type of training have you undertaken and how long did it last?

I spent the first 3 years at UHY Ross Brooke self-studying levels 2, 3 & 4 AAT. I then started an apprenticeship to become a Chartered Accountant for the next 2 years. Being an apprentice is great because you get time out of work to go to college to study for upcoming exams. It is also a good way to meet other accountants at a similar stage in their careers in the local area.

What mentor support was provided to ensure you had an opportunity to succeed in your exams and your role?

My manager, Fiona, was brilliant throughout my training process. She taught me from scratch during the pandemic over Teams which was very challenging for both of us.  She has helped my career development tremendously and enabled me to be a confident accountant. If I had a particular exam coming up, we would try to make sure I had some exposure to things that might come up before I took the exam.

Tell us about your team, your close colleagues.

I spent the first 5½ years of my career with UHY Ross Brooke in the Hungerford office and have now moved to the larger Newbury office. I get on well with all my colleagues and we all help each other develop and progress. I now have a trainee who I am helping develop and pass on some on my knowledge, which is very rewarding.

Have you been given an opportunity to get to know any of the Partners?

I work most closely with Mike. Most days we are talking about clients and what needs doing.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

I find helping our clients most rewarding, whether it is saving them some tax or helping develop their financial systems to make running their business easier. I recently took over the finance function for a new client which has enabled them to spend more time running their business and worrying less about the bookkeeping. I love developing close relationships with clients and the clients really like me because I am a friendly face who can explain accountancy in a simple way for them to understand.

I have been given the responsibility of training a new team member which has cemented my knowledge by going back over the things I have previously learnt. It is very rewarding watching and helping them develop, as I know I have played a part in the early stages of their accountancy career.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

The most challenging part of my job is learning new things every day and keeping up with the changes in accounting legislation. There are always new accounting and tax rules to learn, even after finishing exams!

About the company

What attracted you to UHY Ross Brooke in the first place and what makes the firm stand out for you as an exceptional / good employer?

I did work experience at UHY Ross Brooke in the summer of 2018 at the Newbury office. When I finished University I became aware of a role at the Hungerford Office.  Since I really enjoyed my work experience and found the organisation to be very friendly and supportive I decided to apply. I have now been with the company for 6 years and have developed tremendously through training and exposure to lots of different clients and sectors.

We often have work experience people in the office. It was what opened my eyes up to a potential career in accountancy. I believe it is very important for young people to experience a week working in a business to understand whether it is something they may be interested in.

Tell us about the working environment at UHY Ross Brooke?

UHY Ross Brooke has a great working environment. There is always a multitude of people to help and answer questions. We collaborate a lot between departments between and other UHY offices. I have been lucky enough to be invited to the UHY Cloud Networking group and Xerocon.

Why would you recommend joining the UHY Ross Brooke team as a trainee accountant?

The support and on-the-job training is second to none. There are lots of trainees in each office so there is often always someone at a similar level that you can ask for help or moan about exams with! The hands-on experience I gained during my training played a significant role in helping me pass my exams and develop a strong understanding of the profession. It enabled me to put theory into practice, reinforcing my knowledge and providing a solid foundation on which I am now building my career.

What types of businesses do you work with?

I have such a vast range of clients, including electrical companies, hairdressers, consultants, solicitors and many more. I work with small companies and sole traders all the way up to companies with turnover over £10 million.

And finally

What are your ambitions here at UHY Ross Brooke? Where and what do you aspire to be in the future?

My main ambition was to become a Chartered accountant, which I achieved in January 2026. I would now like to further expand my portfolio and help train the next generation of accountants here at UHY Ross Brooke.

Next steps

Take a look at our current vacancies, or meet more of our trainee accountants.